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Blackwater and Other Outfits
With all the talk about Blackwater, the mercenary outfit running wild in Iraq, a question:
There is this one group where people voluntarily sign up for money or other perks to join an outfit that is dedicated and used to wage wars.
There is this another group where people voluntarily sign up for money or other perks to join another outfit that is dedicated and used to wage wars.
In both outfits people work to fullfill the interests, mostly financial ones, of their owners.
People in both outfits are sometimes stepping over the boundaries of legality. They wound and shot up civilians in panic or without specific reason.
Some people in both outfits are outright criminals doing worse stuff.
Whatever they do in a warzone, people in both outfits will usually will not face any serious punishment for committing crimes against civilians. (The higher folks are within each hierarchie, the smaller the chance.)
Both outfits have a generally far rightwing leadership that also believes some quite radical religious theories.
Both outfits are successfully avoiding any meaningful oversight.
Where is the practical difference between Blackwater and the U.S. military?
for Mom, god and apple pie, but also for a life – as a respectable escape from a no-future situation, providing instant status, kudos even in some circles; and more – camaraderie, group belonging, aims, an occupation.
for money. But also with utter cynicism, cognizant of risks, which are figured in. Blackwater and other mercenaries are very well insured, and the companies pay up lump sums instantly in case of injury/death. Employees usually have some choice here, following if eg. they have children or not, etc. (Some cos. ask for a contribution from salary, others do not. I didn’t know the article b posted, but some do insure directly, afaik, or at least do so for non US ppl.) I don’t know how the medical care arrangements are done, but I do know that they vary greatly with the nationality of the employee. For ex. Swiss mercenaries maintain their private health care and don’t require anything extra (for the mo.), I have been told. Another attraction is that they are equal opportunity employers, like the Foreign Legion, contrary to say UN blue helmets, who are paid differently following what arrangement the UN has with the respective Gvmts. Equipment is good. The structure is not heavy and complicated like in the Army. It is a job, and professionalism trumps sentimentalism, which is more comfortable for many.
I have wondered about the anti-mercenary legislation as well. (see Debs.) All countries have laws, many very stiff, about joining a foreign Army, though some (like Swiz.) permit it. Generally these laws are enforced and obeyed, that is those who violate them do so by cheating and lying, assuming second identities, etc. It seems to me that Blackwater and the others are considered to be ‘security companies’, just like private security companies that police warehouses, banks, gated communities, schools, and so on, and are not mentioned (certainly not nominally) in whatever national laws and directives. (addendum: i just now see alamet’s post above.)
The fact that they participate in ‘wars’ (well, Iraq is not officially either a ‘war’ or an ‘occupation’ or even a ‘liberation’ – Iraqis are denied any status, which is why nothing consequent can be done about the refugees), work for Governments (but do they do so officially when they are only guarding an important person like Booted Bremer? – certainly all this has to do with the division of tasks between the Army that does night raids and Blackwater that does not, etc. etc.) is ignored. Anyway everyone closes their eyes, that’s for sure.
Posted by: Tangerine | Oct 4 2007 17:05 utc | 39
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